The History of Miss Betsy ThoughtlessHaywood, Eliza Fowler
General
The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless
Haywood, Eliza Fowler
Abused wives -- Fiction; Bildungsromans; Didactic fiction; England -- Fiction; Married women -- Fiction
Miss Betsy passed the remainder of that day, and the ensuing night, with
that tranquillity which is inseparable from a mind unincumbered with
passion; but the next morning, remembering her promise, while Lady
Mellasin and Miss Flora were engaged with the beaux and belles at their
levee, she slipped out, and taking a chair at the end of the street,
went to the milliner's according to appointment. She doubted not but the
impatience of her lover would have brought him there long before her,
and was very much amazed to find herself the first comer. She knew not,
however, but some extraordinary accident, unforeseen by him, might have
happened to detain him longer than he expected; and from the whole
course of his past behaviour, could find no shadow of reason to suspect
him of a wilful remissness. She sat down in the shop, and amused herself
with talking to the woman on the new modes of dress, and such like
ordinary matters; but made not the least mention of the motive which had
brought her there that morning: and the other, not knowing whether it
would be proper to take any notice, was also silent on that occasion;
but Miss Betsy observed she often turned her head towards the window,
and ran to the door, looking up and down the street, as if she expected
somebody who was not yet come.
Miss Betsy could not forbear being shocked at a disappointment, which
was the last thing in the world she could have apprehended. She had,
notwithstanding, the patience to wait from a little past eleven till
near two o'clock, expecting, during every moment of that time, that he
would either come or send some excuse for not doing so; but finding he
did neither, and that it was near the hour in which Mr. Goodman usually
dined, she took her leave of the woman, and went home full of
agitations.
The maid, who was in the secret, happening to open the door, and Miss
Betsy looking around and perceiving there was nobody in hearing, said to
hear, 'Nanny, are you sure you delivered my letter safe into Mr.
Saving's hand?'--'Sure, Miss!' cried the wench, 'yes, as sure as I am
alive; and he gave me a good Queen Anne's guinea for my trouble. I have
not had time since to put it up,' continued she, taking it out of her
bosom; 'here it is.'--'Well, then, what did he say on receiving it?'
said Miss Betsy. 'I never saw a man so transported,' replied she; 'he
put it to his mouth, and kissed it with such an eagerness, I thought he
would have devoured it.' Miss Betsy asked no farther questions, but went
up to her chamber to pull off her hood, not being able to know how she
ought to judge of this adventure.
She was soon called down to dinner; but her mind was too much perplexed
to suffer her to eat much.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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